Immune to the Poison
by Rin-neechan
Summary: Greed is the only sin who doesn't want to be human, because he sees the effects that the poison of human influence does to the other sins. Rated for language.
1. Created

My name is Greed. Or I'm called Greed, since I don't know the name of who I'm really supposed to be.

They tell me a lot of things, or at least the hag does. He doesn't say much to me at all.

I was born in this big mansion, I wasn't born actually, I was created.

The hag tells me that they failed to create my life perfectly. What the fuck is that supposed to mean?

Is it my fault that you didn't know what the fuck you were doing when you tried to transmute a human being?

After a while, the hag's lechtures about how I owe her my life and that if I do everything she tells me, she'll make me human, get really fucking boring.

There's nothing but books in this stupid house, and I've read a few of them.

From what I've read, humans are doomed, in fact they're so stupid, they don't even know if they are even alive to begin with so they spend their lives trying to find ways to confirm that.

They should be dead if they can't even tell that they're alive. There'd be no difference.

One guy said that children belong to their parents, who created and raised them, until they're eighteen.

I'm a lot older than eighteen, since I stopped counting my years when I noticed I wasn't aging like him and that hag.

And they don't call themselves my parents, so to make a long story short,

They don't own me and I don't belong to them.

And if being human means that someday I'll die and won't gain anything from dying, then I don't want to.

I like having money, I like having women, I like having power over others, and I like the thought of being famous.

I like not being able to die.

It gives me a world of time to get everything I want.

That's what humans live for isn't it?

Get what they want, enjoy it for a few years, then die.

But I can get what I want, enjoy it forever, and never die.

So I'm not that far from being human, except that I can live longer.

All the others say that they want to be human, what the fuck is wrong with them?

The hag has poisoned them into thinking that dying is a good thing.

Haven't they read any of the books around here? Or even think for themselves? All the others ever do is what they tell them to do.

I hate listening to them. To everything and anything they say. Especially all their bullshit about becoming human.

What's so great about not existing anymore?

They're both hypocrites.

They've lived for hundreds of years, transfering their souls from one body to the next so that they could stay alive and not wither away.

And here they tell us that being human is a good thing.

Aren't they defying the principle of being human and living a life cycle already?

That's not how I am.

I was given the life that I have and it's always been this way.

I've always been a homunculus, and nothing more. So if I stay a homunculus, I'm not defying and principle that gives me the life I intend to live on my own terms.

I don't see what's incomplete about my life. I have no soul, they tell me, but I can feel things.

And it's more than just pain. I feel remorse at times.

I have ambition and goals like other humans do.

Reasons to live.

What reasons to they have?

They go from body to body trying to keep themselves alive instead of accepting what they are and living the way they are.

I like being who I am, and I hate being what they want me to be, so I won't do it anymore.

Let the others follow him and that fucking hag around as long as they want.

I'll live my life and get what I want out of it.

I don't care about them, the others, the Philosopher's Stone, or being human.

I like being what and who I am, so I intend to stay that way.

The don't own me.

They may have created me, but I won't let them enslave me.

I'm too greedy to let myself be controlled.


	2. Sealed

They don't own me.

They don't own me.

I don't belong to them.

I don't belong to them.

I'm a superior being to humans, and when I try to prove that, they do this to me.

They created me, so they knew how to destroy me.

Or at least how to "teach me a lesson" so I don't go against them again.

Actually, it wasn't "them" it was him. He did this to me. The fucking hag just sat back and laughed at me while he sealed me away in this place.

I could break the walls down and get out. But I can't move. The binds on my arms and legs aren't what's stopping me either.

It's this place. It's that skull. It's all these fucking transmutation circles. It's because of that bastard.

I should've known there was something that I wasn't seeing about all this.

It's cold in here. My jacket is warm, but my arms are cold and I can't warm them in any way.

And from the looks of it, I won't be getting out anytime soon.

Am I really that much of threat to him that he had to do this to me?

In a way though, I got what I wanted. I'm rid of them.

Both of them.

All of them.

But this isn't how I wanted it to be.

I wanted to be able to live my life as I wanted.

I'm rid of them all now, but they're still fucking controlling me.

I can't move here. I could break these bonds easily, but something is holding my arms back.

I have no strength. I can't become the Strongest Shield and get out of this.

It's the fucking skull. It's the skull of the person I should've been.

But they fucking failed.

Do they have the rest of it? The rest of the skeleton?

No.

There can't be anymore. Or he would've used it all.

He's not one to do a half asked job. If there was more, he would've sealed me with all of it.

I've heard him say before "better safe than sorry".

At least I still have my life.

He could've taken my life if he wanted to. Then killing me would've been easy.

As easy as killing any human.

Why didn't he do that instead of torturing me like this?

I'd rather be a free man in my grave than be locked up like this, with no way of getting out unless somebody or something lets me out.

They can't control me if I'm dead, but I don't want to die.

He knew I didn't want to die, which is probably why he didn't kill me.

He wants me to suffer here by making me succumb to his will.

The fact that he made me powerless, and made it impossible for me to be free and living as I want.

That's what he wanted.

I don't want to die, like the other homunculus do, so he gave me something worse than death.

He must be trying to get me to wish that I was dead to escape this.

He doesn't know how strong my will is. My will matches the strength of my body while I'm the Strongest Shield.

I won't give in to his mental and physical torture.

I don't care how long I have to wait. I'll get out of this. Somehow.

And when I do, he'll pay, she'll pay.

They'll all pay for this.


	3. Released

Alright! I'm on a roll with this one! The plot bunny has been nibbling and I'm probably going to have this fic finished really soon, if school and work keep cooperating with me. For all of my readers who are waiting for chapter 7 of Akuma no Ketsueki (ANK) I'm at a bit of a writer's block for that one right now. So I really need to wait to write anymore until I get more ideas. I'm so sorry for the unreasonably long wait, but ideas are sort of starting to come back to me,and I've already had torewrite chapter 7 at least 3 times already just because I'm not satisfied with it, or it doesn't seem to fit the mood of the rest of the fic. So again, my deepest apologies for the wait.

The reason that I started writing this was simply because, I finally watched all of FMA that my friend burned to a disk for me. And at episode 21 as soon as I saw Greed I was an instant fangirl. I love his japanese voice and I heard it's sooo much better than the english so yeah. I just love him like a crazy person and I had to write something about him and I just love writing character insight. Sorry to say, I do not support any Greed pairings. NONE WHATSOEVER!

And to answer a reviewer's question - yes, the "he" that I refer to is Hoenhiem. If you remember from the episode after the Devil's Nest is infiltrated, Lust and Gluttony approach Greed, Al, Loa, and Dolchatte. She said "Have you forgotten? You opposed him, despite being a homunculus, and were sealed 140 years ago. He is angry." I'm, almost positive that she's refering to Hoenhiem. But yeah! Enough of my blabbering. On to chapter 3!

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I don't know if I'm laughing because I'm happy, or if I've gone insane.

One minute, everything was like it's been for I can't even remember exactly how long. Then the next minute I can move again.

I feel strong again. I think the feeling of my strength coming back to me must've tickled, because I haven't laughed since I was sealed.

Whereas two seconds ago I couldn't even move a finger, now I can sit up, and I can see because it's not dark anymore

The bonds on my arms felt like nothing, so I rip right through them with a little pull, then through the ones on my legs.

I can stand.

I can stretch.

I can think straight without the trasmutation circles constantly trying to keep me unconscious.

I can't remember exactly how long it's been since he put me in here, but who cares?

I can't be any less than 130 years. It could be more, whatever.

I'm too happy to care about anything but getting out of this place, and no matter what, I can't stop laughing.

There's still walls all around me, but the one where the skull was has been destroyed and the transmutation circles have been disrupted.

The skull.

It rolled away, but it's still there.

I can't go near it, but I can't leave it here.

If it's all that's left of my weakness than I have to keep it with me, so that nobody else can have it.

So they can't have it.

So they can't touch me.

So they can't hurt me.

So they can't stop me.

I can't touch it for now, but I'll come back for it once I have somebody else to carry it.

Since it's too risky to go near the skull and the open wall, I simply break through another one.

It feels so good to let out my power as the Strongest Shield again.

As I'm breaking through more walls, and ceilings occasionally, I find a door.

"Specimen Room Caution Live Chimeras."

Why not?

The door took no more effort to break down than any of the walls.

As soon as I walk in, I see an electronic lock on the wall next to the cages that lined the room, with only one corridor in the middle of them all to walk through.

Cages.

They're tiny.

Smaller than my own prison.

I don't like them.

I hate them.

I hate the fact of being confined and I bet that whatever is in there must feel the same way.

I destroy the electronic lock on the cage doors and wait for moment.

Nothing happens.

But there are humans in some of the cages. Chimeras.

"Specimens" as the room label calls them.

They're like me.

Created to be a certain way but probably born differently.

They probably want to be free as much as I did.

But probably more confused than I was. I have no idea why or who let me out, so I don't care.

But they know exactly who, but no idea why.

Who cares?

"Do you want to remain lab rats here or go out there and play in hell with me? Choose."

I wait again. Still nothing in the cages comes out or moves even.

"Get out!" I can't help it. I'm laughing again.

I'm too happy.

Eventually one of the cell doors opens, and four human-looking people walk out.

Three men and one woman.

They don't say anything, or even look at all confused. They just look angry.

They should be happy that I freed them.

But I'm too happy to care about others.

Walk down the hall of the room right past them. It's up to them whether they want to follow me or not.

I break the opposite door down and walk out of the room.

Then they follow.

Now they know that I can get them out of here easily.

We go from room to room letting out more human-looking chimeras. Some more mutated than the others.

But they all follow me. The first four follow closest.

Eventually we run into a few men wearing blue uniforms.

I don't know who they are or even care for that matter. But the others know.

They recognized one human that I picked up on the way, but before he has time to do anything the only woman who followed me attacks and kills them.

Whatever she has against them is her bidding.

But something is going on in here. The others seem worried and almost scared.

For the time being, I decide it's best to hide and stay out of whatever is going on.

Once everything is calm again, we leave and pick up a few more chimera on the way.

It feels nice to have so many followers.

But,

I don't own them.

They don't belong to me.

As I didn't belong to them.

And they didn't own me.

I gave them a choice and they choose.

I won't become them.

I won't become him.


	4. Company

It takes a few hours, but things eventually calm down.

While leaving that place, where ever it was, I saw them.

Them.

Luckily they didn't see me.

Were they there the whole time?

Watching over me?

Watching over the seal?

No.

They would've seen me get away if they were watching.

They probably know I'm out by now, and went to tell him and the fucking hag.

Fuck.

I'd hoped they'd forgotten about me and moved on with finding the Philosopher's Stone.

They'll pursue me now, if they really do know that I'm out.

I can fix that.

They can't hurt me if I have my weakness with me all the time.

As long as I have it with me, and I hide it from them, then I have nothing to worry about.

But keeping them away from me, even if they can't hurt me will be hard if I'm alone.

I'm not stupid and mindless like the rest of them.

He sealed me because she wanted him to. The fucking hag wants us to find the Philosopher's Stone so that she can use it to prolong her life even more.

If she's not fucking dead already. I almost hope she's not. I have a bigger grudge against her than him.

She always told us that she'd make us human when we found the stone for her, just to modivate us.

I'm the only one who didn't believe her and her fucking lies.

Now that I saw them, I've stopped laughing and even smiling for the time being.

I have to go back for the skull. But I can't get it myself.

Three of them stayed with me.

Martel, Loa, and Dolchatte.

That's what they told me to call them, or as humans say, that's their names.

I don't even have to say a word to them, they just follow. And when I do ask something of them, they do it.

It's not like 130 years ago, when if I wanted something of somebody else, I had to demand it.

I start retracing my steps back to the room where I was sealed.

Martel and Dolchatte stay behind and keep watch.

Loa jumps in with me, and grabs the skull. I back away when he picks it up and puts it in a bag.

He gets the message.

Don't bring it near me.

So he doesn't.

On the way out, we round up all the other Chimera and get out of where ever the hell we are.

I don't really care where we go, as long as it's somewhere they can't find me.

Even if they can't hurt me, like he always said "better safe than sorry".

Knowing them, especially Envy, they'll pursue me regardless.

Just because they can.

Just to show me that they aren't finished making me suffer.

Even if they can't kill me, they can make my life hardly worth living if I'm constantly running from them.

That's what they want.

They don't want me to live the way I want.

That's the proof. Proof that the fucking hag has no intention of making us human.

We're disposable to her. She's using us to get the Philospher's Stone for her, then she won't need us anymore.

And as soon as I go against her, she has me sealed and won't let me live my own life.

She promised to stop all of our suffering, as long as we did every fucking thing she told us to do.

We're all suffering in some way because we have no souls and it effects our bodies. But I don't fucking care. As long as I have everything I want, I won't suffer.

I suffer because I can't live my way.

But now that I've got teammates with me, it might not be so bad.

If I outnumber them, they'll catch on that they can't touch me.

But for now, a basic human necessity is shelter, and these chimera probably have been here a while.

Not as long as I have, but long enough.

They probably have no where to go now.

I don't like the sound of it, but for now, with these three and whoever else follows me, it'll be 'give and take'.

They follow me and I give them what they need, since I can get it easier than they can.

I won't become them. I never told them they had to follow me, I gave them a choice when I released them and they chose.

I'm greedy, but they're loyal.


	5. Business

Among the Chimera that followed me is a mutated alchemist.

He likes to talk. It's really annoying, but he knows what he's talking about.

He told me about two kids. One of them without a living body, but only a soul attached to a suit of armor.

His soul is untouchable, and he feels no pain.

Never gets tired.

Or old.

Or hungry.

Alphonse Elric.

Tucker says that his Brother lost an arm to transmute his soul into the armor.

Way to take one for the team.

So the iron in his brother's blood that made the transmutation circle is bound to the iron in the armor.

That's the link between the soul and the armor.

Something as common as Iron.

It couldn't be that easy, or any alchemist would've thought of it before.

There has to be something else to it.

But that boy is the key.

The key to the secret.

The secret of the soul.

That's all he is.

I've already gotten one of the Chimera to keep tabs on the Elric Brothers.

He calls frequently to fill me in on anything major.

This time, he's spotted another Homunculus.

Not one of the idiots that I remember, who's just looking for their own death.

This one was homemade by some stupid human who couldn't except that shit happens.

Couldn't except that life sucks.

Couldn't get over it.

But this one's different.

Somehow, this Homunculus can use alchemy.

Better have him join me than team up with Envy and the others so he can be brainwashed by that fucking hag.

From the way I see it, the more people I have with me, the harder it is for them to hunt me.

If I have another Homunculus on my side, than that may just turn things in my favor.

I hate thinking about the others and their bullshit.

Since I got out of that fucking seal, since I've been rid of them, the getting's been good.

I almost forgot how good rum tastes.

How good a cigarette tastes.

How good women taste.

Or even a fucking breath of fresh air.

Too bad the Chimera that went to watch over things can't do too much on his own.

He's no fighter, just a sly little fuck.

Another volunteered to help him out.

These guys are way too quick to jump the gun.

They were former soldiers, and this other Homunculus is being held and experimented on at Southern Headquarters.

They would recognize him.

Who wants lame confrontation anyway?

These Chimera are out for revenge, but they're depending on me to brace them for the impact.

To be their backbone.

I never promised them anything, nor did they promise me anything.

Give and take.

I gave them a place to stay, they do a thing or two for me.

Sounds fair enough.

Or, it's actually a loss on their end, but I haven't asked them for much.

As I said, they jump the gun.

Before I even get a chance to ask, they're already all over it.

If you ask me, they need to stop being soldiers and start being people.

They need to learn to be the captains of their own ships.

But they see my place as some kind of sanctuary.

They won't be safe here forever.

But they can't live normal lives out there either.

They've got no choice.

I like to think of it as their rent.

They do me a favor or two, and I let them stay.

There really is only one person here that really doesn't need me in the least bit.

He could leave and blend in easily if he wanted to.

He's staying for his own interest.

He's using my hatred of those bastards as an excuse to do what he wants.

He's somewhat useful to me.

But I don't trust him.

I have no doubt that given the opportunity, he'll betray me.

I remind him of what will happen to him when he does.

He fucking blows it off like it's nothing.

Literally.


	6. Reunion

He called again.

The one who was watching the other Homunculus.

They failed to take it from Southern HQ, apparently some crazy shit was going on down there.

I don't blame them for boning out.

But at least they got wind of where it is now.

And if I want something done, I'll have to do it myself.

The Chimera and I all go to meet up with the other two.

Most of the ones who came with me look human enough so nobody could tell what they are.

All I do is stick my left hand in my pocket and walk along with them.

Not like any of these common dumbfucks know what the Uroborous symbol on my hand is.

Or what it means.

But then again, who knows what smart asses are walking around now?

Luckily it's not far from The Devil's Nest.

Once we meet up with Bido and Kimbley we jacked a boat from some dock and Loa rowed off.

An island in the middle of some lake.

Somewhere secluded.

Sounds like the perfect place for a Homunculus to hide out.

Or be created.

We got across the lake pretty quickly.

"Shall we go?"

Then I hear somebody call out to me.

I'd recognize that fucking voice anywhere.

That voice that sounds like some fucker ripped out half his throat.

"Hey, most powerful..."

He's not the most powerful or ultimate anything.

Fuck. Most powerful gender-confused son-of-a-bitch.

"No, do you prefer to be called a monster?"

He goes on with some shit about him sealing me and not giving up.

He didn't fucking seal me.

Or even help.

He's trying to make himself sound more manly.

Maybe he should dress like a man if he wants to be one.

Envy doesn't compensate for being confused.

"Yeah, sorry. Was the joke too old? I don't know the recent ones."

It's still fun to fuck with him.

It always has been.

He asks about the skeleton of who I should've been.

How the fuck am I supposed to know?

That bastard only used the skull.

But I guess he doesn't know that.

I'll make him think I know what the hell he's talking about.

"I destroyed it, of course."

That might make him think that my only weakness is gone.

Not like he'll ever find it.

He must find me fun to fuck with too.

He'll find it and seal it again?

I'd like to know what the fuck he's talking about.

But again, if I make him think he's right, I'll lead them all in the wrong direction.

"I won't let you!"

I'd love to nail him just once.

Square in the face.

It used to be so much fun.

I'll give him this that he's not bad at running away like the fucking sissy little bitch he is.

I could only ever get him when I caught him off guard.

Then at least he'd be down for a while.

Remodeling his face was therapy for me back then.

He sees it coming now.

So I can't land a hit on him.

"It seems it's true that a new teammate is somewhere around here."

Just the fact that he's here confirms that.

It has nothing to do with me?

As if he doesn't know why I'm here.

Maybe all those times 130 years ago, when I pounded his face to nothing ruined his brain.

"No, I still want to live. So for that sake, I need teammates."

Damn it. They may have already gotten to the new Homunculus before I could.

The water starts to act up behind me.

What the fuck?

It was calm five seconds ago.

It reforms into some chick Envy calls Sloth.

"Sloth? So one with that name has been born already."

This chick is another Homunculus.

Probably on their side.

Apparently now, Lust was remade.

There are seven of us now.

I really am the only smart one of these assholes.

Sloth introduces herself.

To hell with her.

I'm fucked.

But not stupid.

"I'm ambitious, but smart. I don't intend to fight against two Homunculi."

The Chimera read my mind.

They got ready to get out of there.

I jump off the cliff and back into the boat and Loa takes off.

They won't follow me.

They need the other Homunculus more than they need me dead.

I lost my opporunity, but I still can get my hands on the Elric Brothers.

Al.

I can still use him to become immortal.

I won't let them get to him first.


	7. Familiar

On the way back to The Devil's Nest, we all take a breather.

Even I'm a little pooped.

I need a drink.

But I don't feel like rushing back for one.

We left the boat at the dock we jacked it from and took one of their wagons.

Loa and another Chimera are pulling it along, but I walked behind them all.

It starts to get foggy.

Good thing we know the way back.

Any other asshole would get lost.

Or at least I know where I'm going.

Every here and there, Loa looks back to me for directions.

I don't even answer him, I just point in the right direction with my chin.

He gets it.

He always does.

For some reason, this path is all too familiar.

It's been a long ass time, so it takes me a minute to figure out why.

I stop for a second and look to where the hag was last time I checked.

"We've come to a nasty place."

Loa stops and calls back to me.

He wants to wait for me.

"Loa, you guys return to the Devil's Nest."

They don't want to.

What's with these guys?

They're attached to me like I'm their fucking mother.

Like they need me to hold their hand and cross the street with them.

No.

Soldiers.

That's what they are.

Not children.

But there's not that big of a difference.

They're used to being told what to do by somebody above them.

Children are used to being told what they're allowed to do.

Pretty fucking sad.

I gotta say though.

They're good teammates.

They work well together, and do what I tell them to.

"It's just that something is bothering me."

I didn't lie.

Something is bothering me.

They know the way back.

I jump off and head off towards the hags place.

I want to kill her.

That might get the others off my trail for a while.

If she's dead, then they'll have to take their heads out of their asses and think.

She can't tell us what to do anymore.

She can't tell us how to get the Philosopher's Stone.

She can't make us human now.

Maybe they'll get it eventually.

They'll get that they won't gain shit by becoming human.

All they get is a guaranteed chance that they'll lose everything they lived for.

Death.

That's all that awaits humans.

All there is to life is to die.

But my life in incomplete in the first place.

So there's hope for me yet.

It takes a while to get to the hag's mansion, where I was born.

I didn't think it was this far, but was it ever worth it.

I go from losing out on recruiting another Homunculus into my team, to finding the Elric Brothers here.

I sit in a tree outside one of the large windows and wonder how can somebody be so oblivious as to not see me here.

I'm not fucking hiding.

"Hey hey, why am I so lucky? I only thought about seeing a familiar face. Well there's no way I can let them go."

This is my chance.

The others aren't here.

She's vulnerable.

She can't protect herself.

She's weak and old now.

Just seeing her is enough to piss me off, but my blood boils almost in a healthy way.

If it was just getting rid of the hag, I could do it myself.

But I can't let the Elric boy get away.

I need to get a message back to The Devil's Nest and get some extra hands.

Knowing them, they'll be here within the hour.


	8. Sabotage

So here's chapter eight. Sorry it took so long, I've had it written and finished for a while, I've just been busy and such. We all know the drill. I've got chapter nine already done too, but I'll give this for now so we can all get caught up and I can do some editting on the next chapter. If my internet at home stays working (it's wireless so it almost never works) I'll get chapter nine up soon, but if not...ya anyways! Happy reading!

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I was right.

They all got here in about fourty-five minutes.

Soldiers.

We all gathered not to far from the hag's mansion so we could watch over things while planning.

The hag has some new chick with her, probably studying alchemy.

Poor little bitch.

I almost feel sorry for her.

She won't be any trouble.

In fact, we might be able to use her.

As a decoy, or to draw their attention.

Whatever, we'll put her to use somehow.

I'm watching through the same window as before.

Again, the oblivious bastards don't see me.

Everybody in the house is upstairs, so the easiest way to get in, will slap then in the face later.

Through the front door.

Dorchet and some other guy who tagged along will sneak in through the window I'm spying through.

Martel and Loa will use the chick to draw the Elric kids' attention from the window so they can get in.

We don't care about the hag resisting.

Not like she can do anything anyways.

At least not until she switches bodies again.

But who knows if she has any of the old Philosopher's Stone left.

I doubt it.

She wouldn'tve let herself get this old.

There isn't any left.

The others have been tracking the Elric kids, trying to motivate them to create the Stone.

So they can steal it.

And give it to her.

She'll just waste it on herself, and bullshit her way out of making them human.

She'll say something like, if she doesn't keep using it to preserve herself, then she'll die and nobody will be able to make them human.

Been there, done that.

Way too many fucking times.

One of the Elric boys is pissed off.

He's getting up and leaving the room.

Shit.

We'll have to see where he goes before we do anything else.

"He's leaving."

Great.

He's pretty much out of the way.

I'll keep him there just to make sure.

And I'll keep that Kimbley bastard with me.

Just to keep an eye on him.

Both eyes.

"The rest is as planned. Alright. Go."

Soldiers.

I say go.

And they go.

Can't complain.

"Now then."

Kimbley shuffles behind the building and wakes the Elric kid from his day dream.

That gives me the time I need to take him out.

He sees it at the last minute.

He's a smart kid.

But has no idea what he's up against.

He tries to use his right arm.

The automail.

Naturally, for some normal fuck, it would hurt way more to get decked in the face with that.

It doesn't even faze me.

He aimed for my cheekbone.

Not bad.

Should've gone for my nose.

He backs off and shakes his hand off a little.

He can tell somethings weird.

It's pretty fucking funny that he hurt his hand and I didn't feel a damn thing.

"Aren't you surprised? I'm the Strongest Shield!"

Fair enough.

Now he knows.

I still am a bit pissed that I didn't get to pound Envy earlier.

Anybody will do now.

Maybe this kid isn't as smart as I give him credit for.

Instead of moving out of the way, he tried to block.

After seeing what trying to hit me did to his automail.

He still blocked.

Not much of a fighter.

Or a thinker.

An all around dumbfuck.

No brains, or brawn.

He can't take a hit either.

Two hits.

I hit him.

He hit the ground.

And didn't get up.

At least not on his feet.

He tried to sit up after a little bit.

Not before I hear Dorchet whistle to me.

They got him.

We're done here.

Almost.

The other Elric kid is a State Alchemist.

He was no trouble here and now.

I'd like to keep things as easy as they've been.

"It would be a hassle if you followed us."

I walk up and grab him by the neck of his jacket and lift him up.

It's the easiest way to show that you're a threat.

It was always fun to do to Envy after I bitch slapped him around.

"I suppose I should break one of your legs."

Quick and easy.

Which to break?

The automail?

Or the flesh?

The automail could be repaired, and so could the flesh, but whatever would give us more time would be better.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see the fucking hag and her little bitch watching me.

Now they finally decided to look through the windows.

Fuck them.

"Let's go."

I put the kid down and walk away.

Kimbley follows, and the kid calls me back, but I don't care to stick around here anymore.

I just want to get the fuck out of here.

What a fucking wimp.

All I did was hit him once in the face.

No lost teeth.

No broken bones.

No concussion.

No bleeding even.

No nothing and he's on his hands and knees in the dirt.

Maybe I gave him whiplash from hitting him so hard.

I don't fucking care.

Let him follow if he wants.

He's the one that transmuted his brother's soul, so if I can't get Tucker to figure it out, I'll make him to do it for me.

Quick and easy.


	9. Interrogate

I've got the Elric kid chained up in a storage room underneath the Devil's Nest.

He stopped complaining a while ago.

He's smarter than his brother.

He figured he was outnumbered and out-classed, so he cooperated.

Martel is inside him.

Just in case he does decide to resist, she can make sure we can take him down.

Loa can easily take him down once Martel has him under control.

Dorchet stays back unless he's needed.

After a while of talking to Tucker about the kid, I decide it's time to talk with him myself.

I head downstairs and I hear Martel faintly and Dorchet talking about me.

He has a strange tone.

Like he's talking about a role model or a best friend.

He's telling the kid that I gave them a place to stay.

Whatever.

"That's how it is."

I open the door to greet the kid.

I've got the rest of them behind me.

Like I said, they follow me like I'm their mother.

I'd like to have a man to man talk with the kid, but doesn't look like that's happening.

He's probably confused about me and the others.

He's less likely to cooperate if he doesn't understand what's going on.

And he is just a kid.

They won't do a fucking thing right if they don't get it.

Time for some explaining on my part.

"This is the waterhole for those that have an issue with living in the outside world."

That'll explain the Chimera and why this place is so secluded.

Short and to the point.

As short and to the point as I can make it without further confusing the kid.

It's a bit hard to tell if he gets what I'm saying or not.

He has no facial expression but his voice is enough to tell what he feels at least.

Good enough for me.

Some heads-up that he gets it is all I'm looking for.

I don't feel like explaining myself more than once.

The kid doesn't really respond to that, but he recognizes Tucker.

Tucker tries to cover for being here.

I find it funny how he needs to be here because nobody else will hide him.

Before I can speak up, another Chimera does.

True, I am keeping Tucker here at a higher price than the others.

He keeps researching a way to turn the Chimera back to normal, and figures out the secret of the kid's soul.

If he keeps it up, I let him stay.

He slacks, he gets the boot, and can vend for himself.

So far all he's really done for me is tell me about the Elric kids.

The others have paid their rent, and he just benefits without payment, so he'd best do whatever I say if he plans to stay, and he better be right about this kid.

I walk over to the boy and pull off the metal helmet off the armor.

I suppose I'm curious if Tucker told the truth, and if Martel is really alone in there.

Holy shit.

"Oh, amazing. It's just as Doctor Tucker said, it's really empty."

I really was expecting a fucking lie out of Tucker.

Guess he was right.

Again he keeps trying to cover for himself.

He didn't have the boy kidnapped?

He originally told me about the kid and that he could help me become immortal.

Maybe he is a fucking liar.

Oh well, I got what I wanted.

For now.

I feel rude keeping the kids head, so I put it back, he is, after all, my guest.

"Nice to meet you, kid."

Start off on the right foot.

Kids react better when you're nice to them.

Especially when you want something from them.

I heard something about catching more flies with honey or whatever the saying is.

"I'm called Greed, let's be friendly here."

That's right.

I'm your friend kid.

We're not strangers now that he knows my name right?

So we're good then.

That's how you young people think.

I guess this kid is different even by the soul.

No normal fourteen year old child would know what the Uroborus insignia on my hand is.

No normal person of any age during this time period would, in fact.

"You know what this is? That speeds things up a bit."

Now I don't have to explain what a Homunculus is, why I'm not human, about my transmutation and all that bullshit.

The kid attempts to put two and two together like most smart people and assumes I'm an ally of Envy and Lust.

He's assuming without making an ass of himself.

He really didn't assume, it was more of a question.

Definetly the brains of the Elrics.

I like this kid.

"No. We're more like enemies, not teammates."

Natural.

He wants to know why.

Kids always want to know why.

He doesn't need to know why in this case.

I'll just get to the point and spare him the details.

"You said your name is Al, right."

Remember.

Friendly.

I get a little closer, so maybe it'll feel a bit more personal.

He's a kid, kid's love attention, and they love being glorified.

"What does it feel like to be a soul with a body that cannot die?"

Ok, I'm fucking curious.

I'd like to get some idea of what it's like to have eternal life.

I tap the kids metal shoulder.

If that's what it takes to be immortal, having a metal body, I can live with that.

If he can do it, so can I.

"The transmuting of the soul and binding it with another object."

That's why the armor is empty.

"Making it so you never get old or tired. That's what people call immortality, right?"

Great.

The kid gets it now.

Maybe he'll stop asking questions.

Or maybe I should put my foot in my mouth and just spell it out to the kid.

"I'm greedy."

Well, duh.

It IS my name kid, it's not like I do anything to hide it either.

"I want money. I also want women. Power and fame."

Okay, that's simple enough for the kid to get.

"I want everything in this world."

Those are little words, nothing any kid can't understand.

"Including immortality."

Just in case he forgot that part already.

"It could be possible with you."

In case he forgot WHY he's here.

"Even if you don't like it, I will take you apart to obtain it. The secret of the soul, that is."

Bad?

What's so bad about doing whatever you have to so you can get what you want?

All humans do.

This kid's brother is according to Tucker.

Going nuts to try and find a way to get his arm and leg back, and get his brother's body back.

"You can think that way if you wish, but there is no one who can save you from this situation."

So I'm a bad man, big fucking deal.

Calling me a bad man won't save you, so it's not really necessary.

He expects his brother to save him?

Right, he doesn't know that I probably gave the kid the headache from hell for the rest of his life.

"That's impossible. I beat him up."

Geez, kid, don't act so surprised.

Your brother is a pretty giant flake.

He acts tough, but he's all talk, I took him down with one punch.

Even after hurting his automail against my face, he still didn't try to dodge, he just tried to block.

What did he think was going to happen?

Now the room is glowing blue?

What the fuck?

The kid got a hold of some rock and drew one of those alchemy circles on the ground.

My glasses fell off, and my stomach feels kind of tight.

Some fucking rock punched me in the stomach?

Alchemists are fucked up people.

The kid's talking but I can't really hear him too well.

"What did you say?"

This is just concrete.

I squeezed it and it crumbled like nothing.

The kid's a little too worked up now.

A face plant gets the job done.

"Calm down now."

Oh shit.

"Sorry, Martel. I forgot you were in there."

The kid is too gentle.

He's probably thinking he can get out here by himself.

Not when he doesn't attack to kill.

If he can't do that much, he won't even get past me.

Fuck getting pasted Loa, Dorchet or Martel.

Kids are so easy to scare, so I might just have some fun with him.

I laugh, pat his head and get up.

"I like it when they are enthusiastic, but this isn't good at all."

I'm such an asshole, but I wish I could see the look the kids face when I make him shit himself.

Too bad that's not possible for him.

"If you want to kill me, you need to do this much."


End file.
